“It is nothing but nonsense. Sterlisation is not a tool to control population. The state governments have been doing their best to control the country’s population,” he said.

Giriraj Singh, Minister of State for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises and senior Bharatiya Janata Party leadder, said a day back that after ‘notebandi’ (demonetisation), there is a need for ‘nasbandi’ (sterilisations) in the country.

Nitish Kumar also said that people were facing difficulties after demonetisation but were not angry since they liked this “right decision”.

“Demonetisation is the right decision; it is liked by people who are facing difficulties or inconvenience but are not angry,” he told the media after his weekly ‘Lok Samvad’ here.

Nitish Kumar said Prime Minister Narendra Modi should also act against people with ‘benami’ (held by proxy) properties. “After demonetisation, the central government should start action against holders of such properties.”

The Bihar Chief Minister reiterated his support to demonetisation should not be seen as his increasing closeness to the Bharatiya Janata Party. “There is no chance of it,” he said.

Ali Anwar, a senior leader of the Janata Dal-United headed by Nitish Kumar, has reacted strongly to the sterilisation comment of the Union Minister.

Whether sterlisations are actually done or not, such endeavour will lead to sterlisation of the Bharatiya Janata Party, Anwar said.

Giriraj is the second BJP leader who has sought sterilisation. Last week, former Union Minister and senior BJP leader Sanjay Paswan too had said sterilisation will help control India’s population.

In October, Giriraj Singh said the Hindus should seriously think of increasing their population by producing more children.

He also had recalled that Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat had advised the Hindus in August last year to produce more children and said no laws can prevent them from producing more children.

Giriraj Singh is the BJP’s Lok Sabha member from Nawada in Bihar.

Nitish Kumar also congratulated Modi for winning a readers’ online poll for TIME Person of the Year. The editors of the magazine will now decide ‘Person of the Year’ awardee.